The Epic of Starburst
by Jenny Clever
Summary: A new sailor scout has arrived...but is she really who she seems to be? ::COMPLETE::
1. A New Me

**A/N: **First fanfic, thus, criticise to no end. please read and review. And if the paragraphs are messed up, please tell me at morgaine@myst.net ! Thanks! R&R! The Epic of Starburst- Part One- A New Me Hi, my name is Pheobe. My hair is shoulder length brown and my eyes are brown too. I'm pretty average, 5"6, nothing special. I've lived a pretty normal life. I've had crushes, and I have one now, on this hot guy that I've known since 3rd grade, his name is Eden. Unfortunately, I don't think that he knows that I even exist. But this morning, something strange happened that really surprised me. He asked me to meet him after school. And so, my story begins............... _~With each beginning, comes an ending, and with each ending, comes a beginning~_ Earlier in the day, Eden had asked me if we could talk after school. I agreed, but I was wondering why he wanted to talk to me. I was a bit nervous. Well, I'm here, and I can see him coming. It's incredible. He looks hesitant and almost uncertain. The change from "macho guy", horsing around with his friends to this shy boy is astonishing! Eden reaches me. "Hi, uh, I wanted to tell you something," he began, avoiding looking at me. He looked at the wall, the floor, the graffiti on the lockers, but not at me. "Pheobe, I----". Our eyes finally met. His eyes were stormy grey, unlike my plain brown ones. His eyes were deep, troubled. Only one thought ran through my mind. _I have found the one_ _whom my soul loves._ The next two or three seconds passed quite normally for Eden. Not for me. My body stiffened. My eyes first flashed a dark pinkish color. Then blue, green, sky-blue, violet, and pink again. The pink lingered for longer than the other colors. I whispered something, but Eden couldn't catch it. Then my eyes became silver. That was what Eden saw. Now this is what happened to me. A clear, calm, female voice spoke when my eyes went pink. "Euclea, you have known love, and it has unlocked your destiny. Now you must make a choice. Stay, or come to your true home and fulfill your destiny." With the other colors only short words came from female voices. "At last." "It is your place." "We need you." "Come." The voices echoed through my mind. The first voice spoke again. "Decline or accept. What is your answer?" "Yes," I said, my voice barely a whisper. My eyes became silver and I knew that I had made the right choice. "Are you okay, Pheobe?" Eden asked. I looked into his eyes. "Eden," I said as I ran my fingers along his cheek, "thank you. You will figure it out one day. Thank you." A tear fell from my eye. I was going to miss everything and everybody so much. But I knew that this was the way it was supposed to be. "I don't understand." Eden's face was covered with confusion. "One day. Don't forget me." Those were the last words I spoke as Pheobe. A bright light filled my vision. I knew that with that light, my identity was forever changed to Euclea. On the silver heart bracelet I always wore, "Euclea" inscribed itself on one side and on the other, a starburst that seemed to be alive, appeared. My hair also changed because of the light. It grew to the bottom of my back, and it changed from brown to silver. The light was the power of my new friends. They were giving me their power so that I could become like them. Their power was taking me away from my old life and taking me to my new place in the world, one that was chosen for me long, long ago. The light faded. "Euclea, you're here!" exclaimed a girl about my age (16). She had blue eyes and long blonde hair. Somehow, I knew that here, I would find my best friends, friends I could trust with my life. ~And so dies Pheobe, and Euclea is born.~ 


	2. Destiny Revealed

**A/N: **Hey again. Just as bad as the first part, but anyways, tell me what you think. R&R! The Epic of Starburst- Part Two- Destiny Revealed Darkness, that's all I saw. I heard some noises, that slowly became clearer. "Wow, I can't believe she's here." "Do you think she'll be alright?" "I'm more concerned about how she will react to what we have to say." I opened my eyes in time to see who the last speaker was, it was a girl, actually a woman, with long, dark green hair and dark pink eyes. She was older than the rest of the people there. There was a girl with short blue hair, a tall girl that looked quite intimidating, a pretty girl with black hair that looked as though she could be a movie star and a girl with blond hair that looked concerned. She must have been the one to ask if I was going to be alright. Then there was the girl with long blond hair in a funny looking hair style with blue eyes. She was the one that had spoken to me when I arrived. But arrived where? "Where am I?" The group looked at me startled, they apparently hadn't noticed that I had woken up. "Um, your at... uh, introductions first!" the black haired girl said. "I'm Rei, this is Trista, Ami, Lita, Mina and Serena," Rei said, pointing to each of them in turn. "I'm, uh, well I guess now I'm Euclea. But where am I?" I repeated, determined to get an answer. "You are at the Hikawa Shrine in Tokyo," Trista said, she was the oldest one. "Tokyo? As in Tokyo, Japan? But how come I understand what you are saying? And how do you understand English?" I was so confused. Serena laughed. "You aren't speaking English, you're speaking Japanese." she explained. "When you came here, you got the knowledge of how to speak and understand Japanese from us, as well as gaining some of our power, which was necessary so that you would be able to come here." Trista said. She seemed to be the one that was in charge of things around here. The rest of the girls didn't seemed shocked by this information, but I certainly was. "So I got a little bit of all of you girls' power. What exactly is that power?" I asked, I'm a really curious person. "This isn't all of us. There are two others, Amara and Michiru. The power that you now have is a mix of all the powers of the Sailor Warriors. You have powers of water and ice from Sailors Mercury and Neptune. You have the power of fire from Sailor Mars. You have the power of the earth and lightning from Sailors Uranus and Jupiter. You have the power of gold and of love from Sailor Venus. You have the power of the moon from Sailor Moon, our leader. And you have the power of time from Sailor Pluto. Not only did you get the power of the Sailor Warriors, but also their traits and abilities. You are a mural of these powers, and above all, the strongest of the Sailor Warriors." Trista had managed to shock me yet again. "Who are the Sailor Warriors?" I asked. It seemed that all I could say was one question after another. "The Sailor Warriors are a group of strong females chosen by destiny many years ago, to be the protectors of this solar system. Each one represents her own planet, and leads a normal life, transforming into a Sailor Warrior when the need arises." "Well then how come I ended up here? Am I supposed to be a Sailor Warrior?" questions arose in my mind quickly and continually. "Yes, you are a Sailor Warrior. You are Sailor Starburst. You are here because the Sailor Warriors are going to need you soon to help them defeat their enemy." Trista explained. "Where are the Sailor Warriors? And what if I'm not strong enough? I'm not a strong person, you know." I was not sure if I should believe this story. The group laughed. "You're looking at the Sailor Warriors!" Serena exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. "Of course you will be strong enough! Your destiny is to be a Sailor Warrior, and it was determined long ago!" I stared blankly, looking for the source of this new voice. Finally I noticed two cats, a black one and a white one, both with little crescent moons on their foreheads. The black cat looked at me pointedly, as if challenging me to believe anything other than what she said. "Oh yeah, this is Artemis and Luna, Artemis is Mina's and Luna is mine," Serena said. "Like I said, it is your destiny to be a Sailor Warrior," Luna said. "Right, talking cats. I'm sure I'll get used to it. But what about those voices that spoke to me when I was with Eden? Who was that?" I asked. "Firstly, you should stop talking about Pheobe as if you are still her. She died when you said yes, and came here. She's not a part of you anymore, neither is anything from your old life. The voices that spoke to you were us. I was reading some papers from the time of the Silver Millenium, and I noticed that there was a part that must have been over-looked back then. It was a paragraph about a strong warrior, stronger than any soldier, that would aid the Sailor Warriors defeat their greatest enemy yet. It had more detail, and with that information I was able to figure out that you were that warrior. Since I am Sailor Pluto, I have strong powers when it comes to the past, present and future, and different worlds and places. When Pheobe realized that she loved Eden, her destiny was unlocked. However, she could not take the information as who she was, so I contacted you at that moment. When you accepted coming here, you gave permission for your destiny to change you. And so you became Euclea, Sailor Starburst." Trista proved to be a fountain of information. I couldn't believe it. From the knowledge I got from the Sailors, I knew all about the Silver Millenium. "When is this enemy coming?" As usual, Trista was the one to answer. She must be really patient. "I would be the only one of the Sailor Scouts that would know this, but this time, I have no idea. All I know is that it will be a strong enemy and that it will come soon. Since you got your power from all of us, including me, I thought that you might know. You are the strongest of us, and all your abilities are stronger than when we use them." "I'm sorry, I can't help you. I have no idea about what is going to happen. Besides, look at me, I couldn't be nearly as strong as you say I am." I was indeed sorry that I couldn't help them. But I was such an average girl, this strong warrior that they were talking about couldn't be me. "The person you once were is gone. Think of yourself as the new and improved you! In this state you only have limited powers. VERY limited. It's when you transform that your power is at it's peak. Which reminds me, Luna give her her transformation wand," Mina kindly said, I started to think of her as the caring, bubbly type of person. Luna did a somersault in the air, and with a small 'pop', a silver wand (about 6 inches long) with a small silver starburst on the top, appeared. I took the wand, it seemed to be alive with the power that it could give me. "When you need to use it, shout "Starburst Cosmic Make-up!" and you will transform into Sailor Starburst," Luna explained. "Geez, it's kind of hard to believe. I mean, me?" I was mystified by all of this new information. I used to think that I had a normal life. "You must be really tired. And with all this stuff, you must be confused too. We'll let you get some rest and we can talk more in the morning," Raye said, adapting into the role of hostess quickly. I nodded. Rest sounded great to me. Maybe it'll all turn out to be a dream. It would at least give me some time to try to make sense of what this meant. As I drifted off towards sleep, I thought about how different my life had suddenly become. I'm not Pheobe anymore. I am Euclea. I am a warrior. I have a destiny to fulfill, and that destiny has finally been revealed to me. 


	3. Birthday Battle

**A/N: **Again, crappy, but it gets interesting around here... trust, me, if you keep reading, the rest will get better. R&R! The Epic of Starburst-Part Three- Birthday Battle It's been a week since I first came here. I've met all the Sailor Scouts, and everything has been explained. I love my powers, they're so cool! I'm strong like Uranus and Jupiter. I can have premonitions, like Mars. I have knowledge of the future and past like Pluto. I'm smart like Mercury. I'm in tune with the ocean like Neptune. I can also use any of their attacks, if I need to, when I'm transformed, but I also have my own attacks. They're really powerful. I'm living at the shrine for now. Serena has decided that I should have a birthday party, and make the day I changed, my new birthday (June 21). So today I'm having my birthday party, even though my birthday was a week ago. "Wow, this is so cute!" I exclaim, as I open my present from Serena, a little stuffed bunny dressed in a kimono covered with stars. So far I had gotten a new shirt, new pants, an encyclopedia (from who else, but Ami), a subscription to a fashion magazine and a cake (yum!) from Lita (she baked it herself). "You guys really shouldn't have gotten me anything. You've given me so much already," I said, referring to their power. "You still have one more gift," Trista said. "My gift to you is I will take you back to your old home, for however long you want." "Is that possible?" I asked. Trista nodded. "Thanks, really! That's so cool! When can I go?" I wanted to see Pheobe's house again. I know it wasn't a part of me, but I kind of missed it. I never even said goodbye to it. "We can go tomorrow. We should at least finish the party first!" Trista replied. I thought that was a great idea. So we hung out and partied for a while. Trista decided to spend the night at the shrine, so that we could go tomorrow in the morning. I couldn't wait. The next morning, after breakfast, Trista opened the portal. She took me to Pheobe's room. "I'll be back when you need me," she said, before leaving back through the portal. I couldn't believe it. But here I was, lying on my old self's bed in her room. I was looking at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had happened since I had last been in this room. It was incredible, so much had happened in only one week. Meanwhile, back at the Shrine..... The group was gathered at the front steps of the shrine. "Well, she came," Amara said, "now we wait for this horrible enemy." Rei shivered, she was getting a bad feeling. Then, out of nowhere, a creature jumped out at them. "That wasn't a long wait," Serena noted, only half joking. It resembled a human, except it had really long arms, legs, and fingers, with long nails that were made of sharp metal. It was black and definitely evil. Four more appeared, a total of five. The girls transformed, ready for battle. Pheobe's house........ "Phoebe, where have you been?" I was startled to hear my old name. My parents had entered the room. "What...who?" my mom couldn't speak. My dad looked as if he were ready to have a heart attack. To see their daughter after she's been missing for a week, except with silver eyes and hair, gave them quite a shock. I thought that they would have reacted worse. I never thought that they would actually be here. This would cause a few problems. Trista said that if I encountered them, I would have to tell them some of the story, but leave out the parts about me being a Sailor Warrior, my destiny, the other scouts, why I left, and that kind of stuff. "Uh, hi, I'm Euclea," I began, extending my hand to my former parents. They stared at me in confusion. "Pheobe, what are you talking about?" my dad asked. I flinched. I hated being called by that name. It was no longer a part of me and when someone called me that, it made me remember Eden and the life I lived before I became a Sailor Warrior. "I'm Euclea. Maybe we should go downstairs to talk in the living room," I suggested. As I followed them down the stairs and to the living room, I mentally started forming what I was going to say to them. They sat down on the armchairs. I sat opposite them, on the couch. "Pheobe's personna died when she first disappeared," I explained, "you are never going to see her again." Gee, I thought to myself, aren't I sounding sooo optimistic. "I'm sorry," I continued, "When she disappeared she became me, Euclea. Then I had to go help some friends of mine, and that's where I belong now." I paused. They looked blankly at me. Not only did I keep giving them depressing news, I was also really confusing. "Does that make any sense?" I asked, receiving no response. "I guess not, but that's all I can tell you. I hope it has answered at least a few questions for you." My mom started to cry. I didn't know what else to say. Back to the battlescene....... "GROUND SHAKING!" Uranus shouted, taking down the last of the odd creatures. They hadn't even said anything, the creatures simply jumped right into battle. Now they all lay on the ground, obviously in much pain. "Who are you? Why have you come?" inquired Sailor Jupiter. "The Dark Queen, she looks for the Pandorean Energy. It will help her take over the universe. All will be dark and evil, and good shall exist no more. We are the dark soldiers, we are one of her strongest units, but not the strongest. She commanded us to come to do battle, to see where the energy lies. We have not found it, we have failed," explained the dark creature in a raspy voice. The creatures left in a swirling mist. This was a frightening bit of news for them. They had no idea what this was about. Clearly, their newest enemy had found them. Pheobe's house.......... "I'll be leaving soon. Could you thank Eden for me?" I asked, remembering Pheobe's love. They nodded a yes. Apparently they were at a loss for words. "I'll spend the rest of my time here in Pheobe's room." I got up, smoothed out my skirt, and walked to the door. "Thank you," my mom whispered, "for explaining. Take care of yourself." I turned around and smiled. "Your welcome," I said softly, and returned to Pheobe's room. As I had expected, Trista had known about everything that would happen and was waiting in Pheobe's room beside the portal for me. "'I'm sorry about what happened down there," she said. "Don't worry about it. I'm not that close to them, anyways. Thank you, it was a great birthday present, even if it didn't turn out too great," I replied. Before we entered the portal, I took one last look at my room. Then we entered the portal and began to walk back home. The shrine........ The girls sat around the room, back in their normal form. They had gotten some scrapes and cuts during the battle. Though the creatures claimed not to be the strongest, they had certainly put some damage on them. This new enemy was strong. "What do you think they mean?" Mina asked. "Whatever they mean means we have to watch our backs again. Any idea about what the energy could be?" Amara asked the cats. They were the ones that usually had information on the enemies. "It probably is a great and powerful energy, which our enemy wants to take over the universe with and extinguish all good. That's all we know, and that's what we got from the creatures. Don't worry, we'll be able to beat this enemy. I mean, it's not like some person trying to take over the universe with something we have is something that we haven't dealt with before," Artemis replied, not really giving them any information. "But what could it be? Even with Uranus and Neptune using their talisman's, and me using my scpeter during the battle, the creatures still said that they hadn't found what they were looking for. We don't really have any other objects that they would want," Serena said. That fact really got them confused. "At least Trista and Euclea are coming back soon. Maybe they know something?" Rei suggested, trying to be helpful. But all they could do was wait for their return, which wouldn't be long. Through the portal.......... We walked in silence. I didn't even have to ask the question, "Did anything happen while I was gone?" to know that something obviously had. I could tell by Trista's quick stride that she was anxious to get back. I was worried. I also had a vague sense of what was to come, like Trista, and what I saw was not good. But that wasn't all of it. Something had happened a short while ago that was also not peachy keen. Our footsteps echoed in the silence. "We're almost there," Trista said. I tensed, knowing that I was going to find out something I didn't want to find out once I left the portal. What choice did I have? I exited the portal, following Trista. The girls looked up as we entered the room. The sight I saw was not pretty. They had been in a battle, I could see their wounds. Nothing major, I noted, but enough to know that this was a strong new enemy. "So I take it our new enemy has arrived?" I asked, "They are strong, did you beat them?" "Yes, for now. It wasn't too hard, but they can do damage. They are looking for the Pandorean Energy," Ami explained. "Who are they?" Trista asked. "They are the dark soldiers, commanded by the Dark Queen. We can't figure out what the energy that they want is. Do you guys know anything?" Lita asked. "No. Tell us exactly what happened," Trista said. I half listened to what happened at the battle. My mind was already putting together a suspicion of what the energy is. I knew it was entirely likely, but I didn't want to tell anyone. So I stayed silent while they discussed what the energy might be, how strong the enemy's attacks might be, and how to fight them. Luckily, just as Luna turned to ask me something, Serena's stomach saved me. "Hey, I have a great idea! We should go out for ice cream! Food for thought, you know!" she exclaimed. We all groaned. How typical of Serena. Always thinking about food. Still she had a point, so soon we were all sitting in the park, eating ice cream. I went off to explore the gardens. I hadn't noticed that Amara had followed me. She put her hand on my shoulder, making me jump and almost cry out. Slowly my heart returned to normal. Amara had been so quiet in approaching me, that I had thought I was alone. "You know something about the energy. Tell me," she said. I felt trapped, as if I had run into a dead end and I had to answer her. In a way I felt compelled to. The outer sailors were more cut off from the inner sailors, and I had felt more like I belonged with the group of outers. For some reason, I trusted them more. If I told Amara, she might tell Michiru and Trista, but not the rest of the group.. It started to rain. I decided to take a chance, and tell her. The rain increased. "I think that the energy is me," I said quickly, my face turned up to the sky. Tears started to fall from my eyes. Thank god for the rain, I thought, now it's not as noticeable that I'm crying. Amara's hand fell limply from my shoulder. I looked at her. She was frozen to the spot. She didn't look scared or anything, her face was passive. It was in her eyes that I saw her shock. "I don't know what to say," she said, not even trying to convince me that I was wrong. "You know as well as I do that it's completely true. Think about it. I am all the Sailor Warriors combined. I am the strongest, the most powerful. I have the most energy. It's true," I said. We just looked at each other in the rain. I could tell that she was accepting that fact, and that the shock was wearing off. It was true, what else could I say? The rain had let up, so we started walking back to the others. "Are you going to tell them?" Amara asked me. "No, I don't want them to know. You can tell Michiru and Trista if you want to, just promise me you won't mention anything to the Inner Scouts," I replied. "We won't say anything. It's better for the Inner's not to know, anyways," Amara said. I agreed with her. They wouldn't be any better off. It had to remain a secret. Back at the shrine, the talk about the enemy continued. I noticed that Amara didn't say much, keeping silent when the talk turned toward the energy. Michiru and Trista behaved similarily. Nobody seemed to notice our lack of contribution. That was good. I zoned out again. What would the Queen do to me if she found me? Would I be able to protect myself against her armies? Would anyone have to get hurt? I hoped that none of the Inner's would find out about me. They would probably do something stupid in battle, like try to protect me or something. I couldn't let that happen. If they died and I lived....... I couldn't even think about it. I just hoped I wouldn't find the answers to these questions any time soon. 


	4. Dreams or Reality?

**A/N: **Better and better... anyway, R&R.... The Epic of Starburst- Part Four- Dreams or Reality? I snapped awake and sat in bed, my lungs gasping for air. Slowly I realized that it had only been a dream. But it seemed so real. I was scared. Above all, I was scared. Questions ran through my mind at the speed of light. What if I don't fight hard enough? What if I am too weak? What does this all mean? Why? How? Will I die at the hand of the Great Enemy? Or at least that was what that guy had called it. He didn't give It a name, other than the Great Enemy. I decided to leave the questions till later. I'd probably have to tell the Outer Scouts of my dream, or they would figure it out on their own. I looked at the alarm clock. It read 7:45am. I had 45 minutes to get ready for school. Though it seemed like a long time, it was actually way too short for me. I took a shower, and then I tried to figure out how to dry my extremely long, extremely wet hair in time for school. It seemed to me that my hair had grown quite a lot since I first arrived. It now reached my thighs. I ran my hands through my hair. If it wasn't dry soon, it would make my uniform wet. Suddenly, I noticed that my hair was dry, but my hands were quite wet. You have incredible powers, and they will work when you need them. Remember to be willing to accept these powers and to know them truly and use them wisely, the voice in my head whispered to me. It seemed more like the wind than a voice, but I still knew what it was saying. It sounded so familiar, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. After school, I ran into Michiru. I began to say something to her that I remembered was of some importance, but it disappeared from my mind like a wisp of smoke. She looked at me quizzically. Somehow, I managed to pull off some excuse and leave. Did I forget to mention, I have unbelievable powers of persuasion? So when I told her that nothing was wrong, she believed me. The rest of the day went by perfectly fine. When I woke the next morning, I felt like my head was full of fog. Something was bugging me, but I couldn't remember what. It was like an itch that I couldn't reach. During school, we were having a class discussion about Hollywood and people that were trying to make it big, but couldn't. Everybody was participating, but I was daydreaming, trying to figure out what it was that I couldn't remember. A phrase from the discussion jumped out at me. "A dream is just a wish the heart makes," somebody said, quoting a line from a Disney movie. Dream. Heart. Wish. It clicked. The dream I had was about willing myself to use the power in my heart, it was as simple as wishing for it to come alive. The discussion was still going on, but it stopped abruptly when I fell out of my chair, from the sudden flood of the feelings and scenes from the dream. The chair was loud. Everyone turned to stare at me as I got up from the fall unfazed. The class was shocked into silence. Most people at least groaned, if not cried, or yelled when they fell off their chairs. But I was the first person to act as if it hadn't even happened. In fact, that was why I usually took great care not to "get hurt". That's kind of funny, because I can't get hurt, or at least not from ordinary mortal attacks. Another of my great new powers. I can't have physical pain from something caused by normal things or people. I stayed away from getting "hurt" because I didn't want anyone to find out about me or my powers. I realized that the class was staring at me, so I rubbed my elbows (that was what I used to break my fall), and groaned a little to convince my audience that I was an ordinary human being. I kept my elbows covered as I left the room. I told the teacher that I was going to the nurses office for some ice. He didn't notice that I had taken my backpack and coat with me. No questions were asked. As I headed down the hall, I tried to make sense of the dream. All I had for the moment were random images overlapping, and some blurry voices. Instead of going to the nurses office, which was right beside the front doors, I walked right by, and out of the school. My legs just carried me off, gaining speed until I was running as fast as I could. I was just happy that I ran so fast that nobody could recognize me. I finally reached my destination. It was beautiful. A lush meadow, filled with gorgeous flowers, suddenly opening into a lake with a small beach that was hidden deep in the forest. It was incredibly peaceful, and I was grateful to find that no one else was in sight. I dropped my bag and jacket in a patch of tall green grass and sat on a fallen log on the beach. I listened to the sounds of this serene paradise as I watched the small breeze make ripples on the lakes surface. I felt very tired, and I decided to have a short nap. Laying on my jacket with my bag as a pillow, I fell asleep. I stood in a gray mist. Inside me I felt the power that I had when I transformed into Sailor Starburst, except much stronger. I wasn't wearing my fuku, but was dressed in armor. The silver armor shone, though it was not reflecting any light. The shine seemed to come from within. The armor was shaped to my body, as if it had been molded right onto me. I wore a silver crown that had a starburst at it's center. From my waist hung a beautiful scabbard with intricate carvings on it, depicting all the planets. The sword that it held was also made of the same silver metal as the rest of my armor. The sword was completely void of design, except for the handle, which had vines running along it. I must have looked like a princess going into battle, innocent, yet weilding great power. A figure approached me. I could tell it was a man, maybe a year or two older than me. He wore armor similar to mine, though it was a darker color, like the color of hematite (a stone that looks like black silver). He wore a helmet, and I was unable to see his eyes. "The Great Enemy comes. It has power that matches you own", the man began. "You must fight the Great Enemy. If you fail, all will be doomed. I am the guardian of energy, however I possess no power of my own, save what power I need to guard energy. My name is Syphax. Heed my warning." He turned and began to walk back into the gray fog. "Wait," I called after him. "Isn't there anyone else that can fight the Great Enemy? Surely I can't be the most powerful being in the universe! Why have I been chosen?" He looked at me. Or at least I think he did, I couldn't be sure. "Chaos," he replied. "He was the only one powerful enough, the one with the most energy. But he is gone now, and you are his successor. You must be the one to fight, for you are the one with the most energy, and the most power. The power is in your heart. You must be willing to use it, and it will come alive. But remember, you must know who the Great Enemy truly is." He paused, and seemed to be contemplating a decision. Then he took off his helmet. He looked exactly like me, except a male version. Same eyes, except masculin. Same hair, except short. He was taller and was more built than I. But he looked as if he was my twin, except older. What was going on? "Who are you?" I asked, this time demanding the truth. 


	5. Questions Answered

**A/N: **Author's notes are very hard to write. boo. Anyway, it starts getting all funky and fun now... so enjoy and R&R! The Epic of Starburst- Part Five- Questions Answered "Who are you?" I repeated, with more than a hint of anger in my voice. Syphax was frozen to the spot. "Well, I suppose you must know. You would find out on your own if I didn't tell you. You've always been like that," he answered, without really answering anything. "How would you know that?" I never hinted or showed my stubborn streak in this short conversation, and I wouldn't call that "always". "I'm your brother." Those three simple words knocked the wind out of my lungs. I had always been an only child, or at least Pheobe had been. Maybe as Euclea I had siblings? But that just brought more questions. I had never really thought about this before but now I wondered, Who are my parents? As though he had read my mind, Syphax replied. "Chaos is our father." "How do I know that you are really my brother?" I asked him. This time when he replied, I heard his voice in my mind, and didn't see his lips move. "We have mind to mind contact. That's how I've been 'tutoring' you. I am that voice that speaks to you when you involuntarily use your powers." At this point he held out his hand, palm up, and took off his glove. He motioned for me to do the same. I did and then he placed his hand on mine. I saw his memories. Some were good, others not too good. But I was in some of them, though I was younger in them. Through his memories, he explained it all to me. "Chaos appointed me to guard the energy. He also made me guard you, because you are younger than I, and have a more dangerous task. And that's what I've been doing. The outer scouts know of me, and Pluto needed my help to bring you to Tokyo. I have been helping you, whispering in your mind. You remember me now, don't you?" Somehow, his memories turned into my memories, memories I had forgotten until now. "I had to come to warn you," he continued, "that the Great Enemy is coming. I can't tell you all the details, but I can tell you this. It's not Ophelia. Think of the name of your energy. Pandorean. What does that make you think of? Pandora's box. That's all I can say, I hope you can figure it out from there." He took his hand off mine. Tears filled my vision. I wasn't alone. My heart was practically bursting with joy to know that I had a brother, and that he would stay by my side forever. Sure I had the scouts, but though they sometimes did seem like sisters, they weren't. Syphax had begun to leave again, probably mistaking my tears of joy for tears of anger or sadness. I ran up to him, spun him around to face me, and gave him a hug so powerful, it probably would have crushed him if not for his armor. Speaking of armor, both mine and his shimmered and changed into more normal clothes. I was wearing a flowing white dress and he was wearing white pants and shirt. "Enough, enough already!" he yelled, pretending to be annoyed, but not being very good at it. "Your soaking my shirt!" he pointed out. "That's not a problem," I laughed, as I moved my hand over the wet spot on his shirt, which turned dry. The misty gray landscape turned into the beautiful meadow with the lake, the place where I had fallen asleep. Suddenly I was scared that Syphax wouldn't come with me here. I looked around frantically, but I couldn't find him. My emotions threatened to get me again, and I felt my throat start to constrict, I blinked a couple of times to get the tears away. I felt two strong hands grab my shoulders. I screamed. Syphax started to laugh. "You always fall for that! You look everywhere, but you didn't even think of looking behind you!" I didn't care. I forgave him for scaring me out of my mind, because now he would stay with me forever. He was my brother and with that same devotion that he protected me, I would protect him. When we returned to the shrine, all the scouts were there. The Inner Scouts looked at Syphax with curiousity, but the Outer Scouts came up and hugged him. They knew that if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be here. "Girls, this is Syphax. My brother," I announced with pride. They looked as shocked as I felt when I had discovered that he was my brother. "Wow, that's incredible. I never knew you had a brother, Euclea," Lita said with awe in her voice. The rest of the Inner Scouts agreed with her. We hung out for a while after that, and decided that since I had Syphax to take care of me now, I could move into my own apartment. It was decided that tomorrow, Syphax and I were going apartment-hunting!  
  
Syphax stopped by my room that night, just as I was getting ready to go to sleep. "Hi. I just came to say good night. And to give you this," he said. A small midnight-black kitten darted out from behind him and jumped into my lap. It had a silver starburst on its forehead and huge silver eyes. "Finally! I couldn't wait to meet you! My name is Io, but you can change it if you want. Do you like me? I hope you do. Syphax said that you would be nice to me. I'm so happy to finally meet you!" the tiny kitten said excitedly, all the while jumping around me. "She's adorable!" I said to Syphax, giving him a hug, "Thank you!" Then I picked up Io. "Of course I like you, Io. And your name is perfect. I hope that we'll get to be great friends," I said to her. "She's the perfect addition to our family," I said to Syphax, pointing out her eyes. "Thank you," I said again. As I lay in my bed later that night, with Io lying on my stomach, sound asleep, I thought about how amazing that day had been. I found out that I had a brother, I have an adorable kitten, I'm going to look for an apartment tomorrow. Things proabably couldn't get any better. They would actually probably start to get worse. I hadn't told anybody yet about what Syphax had told me in the dream. I knew Ophelia's defeat would be quick, and I wouldn't have any trouble fighting her. But who was the Great Enemy? I hoped that I could figure out Syphax's riddle about Pandora's box before the Great Enemy surfaced. I scolded myself for ruining my almost perfect day. I could leave the thinking until tomorrow. Right now, I should just enjoy the good times while they last!  



	6. Darkness Within

**A/N: **Maybe I should change the catergory to Drama.... i dunno, but in any case, the tension is running high... ooo, scary. not really, but very interesting. any questions, comments, corrections, etc., please review! The Epic of Starburst- Part Six- Darkness Within I stood beside Syphax, Michiru and Trista at the edge of the race track and watched as Amara got out of her car. "Congratulations!" Michiru beamed at her. Amara had won first place again. I suggested going out to celebrate, so we headed towards our favorite hangout, the coffee shop. "What are you going to do about your energy problem?" Amara asked me as we sat sipping our drinks. "I really don't know, I guess I'll just have to defend myself from Ophelia and defeat her. I wonder why she wants my energy?" I mused aloud. "Maybe she doesn't know that she won't be able to use it and that it will die if you die," Syphax suggested. The thought made me laugh. They looked a little strangely at me. "I'm sorry, but I don't really understand what's funny," Trista said. "It's just that-," I started to laugh again. I couldn't believe it. I took a deep breath and tried to explain again. "Ophelia is probably the stupidest enemy yet. She hasn't even researched the energy and all she knows about it is that it is near the Sailor Scouts. She doesn't even know that it's a Sailor Scout," I managed to get out. I suppose they got the point, and they smiled a little, but then Michiru said something that wasn't as funny. "That makes her all the more dangerous. She'll attack us until we surrender the energy. We don't want to lose you, so we're going to have to fight, and fight with all our strength. The Inner Scouts probably won't fight nearly as hard. They don't know that you are the energy, so they won't get in your way. But they won't be as prepared as us either. We've seen how strong Ophelia's minions are. Who knows how strong she is?" Michiru said, ruining the fun but also pointing out the truth. "We'll find out soon enough," I thought and actually said aloud. I just got one of my premonitions a second earlier and it told me that Ophelia was coming in fast. In fact, I estimated a day or two till her attack. We started to leave after about another half hour of talking. Amara, Michiru and Syphax all headed towards their homes, Syphax's and mine was now a nice apartment in the same building as Amara's, which was also close to all our hangouts. Trista walked with me behind the rest of them and stayed beside me when I walked into a park. We walked in silence until we reached a bench that sat in the middle of a beautiful garden. "Tomorrow," I said, "that's when it's going to happen. I can't tell anybody, though I think Syphax already knows." "They won't be prepared. You know that we might...." Trista left the sentence hanging. I nodded. I knew who would die, how and when. The premontion might have been short, but it gave me lots of information. Unfortunatly, it didn't tell me who would win, and what would happen to me. We watched the sun set slowly, and once it disappeared Trista got up and left. I sat for a little while longer until the sky had turned a deep blue and the stars came out. I walked home slowly. My mind was busy trying to prepare me for the battle that would take place so I hardly noticed that it was very cold and that it started to rain. I was wearing a tanktop and long pants, and I still seemed oblivious to the weather. When I finally got into the apartment, Syphax was waiting for me with a towel. I smiled as much as I could, took the towel from him and went to take a shower. I didn't sleep that night, and for the first time in my life, I saw a sunrise. It was beautiful, but to me it looked forboding and bleak. The day had begun and soon my wait would be over. At 11:35am, I finally snapped out of it and sprang into action. The attack is going to be at 12:03 which gives me about half an hour, I thought as I ran out of the apartment. We've got to get to the shrine at least by twelve, I knocked on Amara's door, but becoming impatient when she didn't answer after the first knock, I put my hand on the doorknob and sent out a little bit of energy. I pushed the door open and saw Amara grabbing the keys to her car. "Let's go," was all she said. We sped across town to Michiru's apartment. She stood waiting at the corner for us, and jumped in before the car had a chance to stop completely. The next time we stopped was at a traffic light that had unfortunately just turned red. Trista was at that crossing and ran quickly through the mess of cars and got in just before the light turned green. The time was now 11:54. We got to the shrine at 11:59 thanks to Amara's excellent driving skills. The girls were having their study session so they were all there. Syphax was there also, he thought that I would be at the shrine hanging out so he came to see if I was there. I ran up to them. "You have exactly," I looked at my watch, and it said 12:00, "three minutes," I told them. They looked at me, noticed that I wasn't my usual calm self. Syphax came up to me, put a comforting arm around my shoulder and whispered in my ear, "Don't." I nodded at him. I knew I shouldn't tell them about myself, but I had to at least warn them. "Ophelia's attack," I said quickly, glancing at my watch again, and hating it for showing me that the time was 12:01, "is going to happen in two minutes." This news made them all gasp. 12:02. The sky began to darken as they all transformed. Syphax and I glowed brightly, and changed into the armor we wore at our first meeting. Ten seconds left. By this time the sky was black, darker than the night. Five seconds. We stood quietly as the wind picked up and a large black tornado appeared. 12:03. The wind fell and the tornado disappeared, revealing a tall woman with black hair that fell to the ground. Her skin was white, her eyes were black, and she wore a long, black dress. In her hand she held a black staff that was topped with a black sphere. "Senshi of the planets, you hide the Pandorean. Surrender it now, or be eliminated!" she shouted. Sailor Moon was about to step forward and deliver her speech. I was tempted very much to stop her and tell Ophelia that she would never get me, but I was held back by destiny. Ophelia listened to Sailor Moon's speech, but by the end of it she had raised her hands to the sky, her staff beginning to power up. "I will not stand to hear any more of this! You do hide the Pandorean, even though you say you do not! I shall have the energy! BLACK DEATH!" she yelled and the battle began. 


	7. Fate Fulfilled

**A/N: **Almost finished. Just one more chapter and the epilogue. Sorry for any spelling mistakes and stuff like that. i am the worst editor in the world. Once again, questions, comments, corrections, criticisms, etc., review! The Epic of Starburst- Part Seven- Fate Fulfilled The Inner Scouts desperately tried to ward off Ophelia's attacks, but she struck them, and they died, one by one. Sailor Moon transformed into NeoQueen Serenity and attacked, but to no avail. A final shot from Ophelia killed Serenity as she held her beloved dead Endymion in her arms. Inside of me, my energy awoke. I felt strong, powerful, and I felt that I would be able to defeat the Sailor Scouts. I was shocked. Had I really just thought that I could help Ophelia defeat the Scouts? Of course, with Ophelia I could defeat them, then I could kill Ophelia and become the most feared, most powerful dark queen this universe has ever seen! I struggled to keep myself from attacking my best friends as I tried to figure out my situation. I now understood the riddle. When Pandora opened her box, she released all the negative things. It was disastrous, so she closed the box. But when she opened it again, hope came out. I understood. If I unleashed my power, I would unleash my dark side. Like everything else in the universe, I was kept in balance with good and bad. I must defeat my darkness and my energy would then become pure and good. I understood now why Ophelia wanted me. She wanted to rule the universe with my energy, and use it for evil. I fought hard with my darkness, while around me Ophelia had begun to attack Uranus and Neptune. They were using their talismans, but the battle seemed hopeless. The battle raged inside of me as well. At one point I was about to jump in and help Ophelia, and the next second I was about to jump in front of Uranus and Neptune and protect them. Give in, you know that evil is always stronger, my darkness whispered to me. No! Never will this energy be used for evil! I will defeat you and you shall cry out at the death your mistake has caused! I yelled fiercly back at it. It kept taunting me throughout the battle. Finally, Neptune fell, and when Uranus ran to help her, Ophelia seized the moment and wiped them both out. Pluto took over, with Syphax fighting beside her. Everyone will die because you chose to fight. it will all be your fault, the voice in my head insisted. They have not died in vain. I will defeat you! I replied, with renewed strength. Just before Ophelia was about to finish off the last of my friends in this world, I gave one hard final shove at the darkness, using all the happiness, good memories, and all good along with the message It's worth fighting for towards it, and it broke off. I felt clean, pure, and I felt that now, I would finally be able to defeat Ophelia. I had defeated the greatest enemy of all, myself. I ran to Pluto and Syphax as they fell. I held them in my arms and said to them, "You will not die. Believe, and it will be. Syphax, thank you for helping me understand. Trista, thank you for being there. You will not die. Believe, and it will be." They just looked at me and nodded. Their eyes turned glassy, and I gently closed them with my fingers. They will not die. Believe, and it will be, I thought to myself, believing it with all my heart. Ophelia's attacks had ceased for the moment. Apparently, she hadn't noticed me before. She looked at me in amazement, finally realizing that the Sailors didn't have the energy, but the it was a Sailor. I looked her square in the eye. "You have killed all that I hold dear. Now I shall have to kill you. I am Euclea. I am the Sailor Warrior Starburst. I am the energy you seek. I am also the energy that will destroy you. Evil will never prevail, not in my universe," I told her in a loud, powerful voice as I unsheathed my sword. It glowed with a brightness that could only come from purity, love, and determination. "BLACK DEATH WIPE-OUT!" Ophelia yelled, thinking that maybe her strongest attack would kill this girl who believed that she would be able to kill the dark queen.   
Her attack came straight towards me. I didn't run or hide. I simply raised my sword above me and delivered one strong clean swipe down through the center of black mass that came at me, eliminating it. The fallen queen stood staring at the young girl who had in a split second, proven that she was the most powerful being in the universe, and by doing so, signing the queen's death certificate. If possible, the queen's face looked whiter still. "Are you still a queen, Ophelia?" I asked her calmly, and focused on her staff. It shattered instantaneously. She blinked quickly several times, obviously having a hard time believing that she had been beaten. I raised my sword again. "Ophelia, I hope that in your afterlife, you will realize what you have done, and that you may take upon your shoulder's the consequences of your actions," I said to her. As I swung my sword down in a graceful arc I shouted, "SILVER STARBURST STRIKE!!!" and a silver snake escaped my blade. The snake was huge and smooth, and had large silver wings, like that of a dragon. The snake shot forward, wrapping itself around Ophelia and disappearing in a sudden burst of black flames. It was over. I looked to the sky, which was now bright and sunny, yet found no joy in seeing it. All my friends were dead. My brother was dead. They will not die. Believe, and it will be, my words echoed back at me. My sword fell with a clatter. Their bodies lay around me. Serenity and Endymion, Uranus and Neptune. Pluto. Syphax. They all died, but I don't think any of them know why. They weren't dead, I thought resolutely. I won't let them be dead. My armor shimmered again, changing into a white gown, trimmed with silver, and my crown appeared on my head once more. I concentrated hard as I closed my eyes and thought, Ashes may be ashes, and dust may be dust. But my friends are not, and return they must. I thought it over and over again. I must have been standing there for a long time, repeating it in my mind, until I was whispering it. "Ashes may be ashes, and dust may be dust," I spoke, my voice growing louder and stronger with every syllable, though my energy dwindled lower and lower. "But my friends are not, and return they must!" I ended my chant shouting, it was a demand. With that last word, my energy shot out of me and into all the Warriors. I fell to the ground and could only hope that it worked and that my friends would live. Finally, I thought, I will be at peace. And then it all went black.  
Slowly, Serena got to her feet. The battle was over, she thought, as she looked around. The other Sailors were coming to, and Darien began to stir. They were all back to normal, as though the battle hadn't even happened, except that Syphax and Euclea weren't waking up, she noticed. A tear fell from her eye, and she ran over to the two silver-haired bodies. Syphax still wore his armor, and Euclea was dressed in a white and silver gown, with a crown on her head and a sword beside her. Trista came up behind her and checked the pulses of the siblings. "Weak, both of them. I don't think that Syphax will make it," she informed the rest of them, who were now standing around them. "Come on," Rei said as she moved forward, "we should take them inside." Amara and Darien moved them both inside. Trista bent down to pick up the sword that Euclea had left behind. It felt cool in her hand, but she could sense the great power that Euclea had channeled through it. She carried it inside and lay it beside Euclea's bed. Though everyone was anxious to see what would happen, Michiru insisted that they at least have some tea to revive themselves, as it was obvious that the pair wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. So they sat and drank in silence, all the while keeping an eye on the two. "Euclea," Syphax said softly. I opened my eyes and saw that I was at the same misty gray place as before. I turned and looked at Syphax, giving him my full attention. "Euclea, I'm leaving now." I stared at him in sadness. "But why? Do you have to?" I pleaded. "Yes," he replied, "my mission is completed. I have guarded the energy, and now the energy has proved that it can protect itself." "I don't want to fight anymore," I told him. "You are a warrior, the strongest there is. Don't worry about it. I must go now," he said, and started to walk back into the gray mists. "Syphax." He turned and looked at me, "yes?" I started to cry. "I love you, and I always will," I told him, not even coming closer to him, because I knew that if I did, I would hug him, and never let go. "I love you too, dear sister. Take care of yourself," he said, and I never saw him again. Trista turned quickly and glanced at Syphax. She had the horrible ability to sense it when people died, and sure enough, Syphax's chest wasn't rising and falling anymore. The whole group turned to look at Syphax, as his body shimmered and disappeared. He was gone. "Go back Euclea. That is your home." I nodded. Whoever the voice was, was right. I couldn't stay here, in this cold, melancholy place. I needed to get back to my friends, to make them stop worrying. "I guess I won't be able to have peace at last after all," I said, and heard my voice echo back. I closed my eyes and concentrated. "Oh, thank god!" I heard Serena exclaim. By the sound of it, she was very close to my ear, and that didn't do much to help my headache. They were all there. I groaned. "What is it? Are you OK?" Io asked impatiently. "I'm fine," I replied, finally finding my voice. I sat up. I noticed that I still wore my dress and crown, and that my sword lay beside my bed. "Oh no, not ever again," I said, concentrating on the sword. It shimmered and disappeared. I figure that if I ever need it again, I can just summon it. But I don't plan on needing it again ever. "How did you do that?" Mina asked in awe. I just groaned again. I had to explain a couple of things. No, make that a lot of things. "Well, you all know that I'm a combo of all the Sailor Warriors, and that I'm the strongest one, too. Another thing about me, is that I'm Chaos' daughter, his successor. Chaos used to be the most powerful being in the universe, but now that burden rests on my shoulders. I'm the Pandorean, the most powerful energy in the universe," I ended. "And you didn't bother telling us this before because?!" Lita shouted. "Because," I said quietly, "I didn't want to worry you, or put you in danger. I also didn't really want to believe it, so I didn't tell many people. Syphax, Trista, Amara and Michiru were the only ones that knew, and I told them because I knew that they wouldn't do anything stupid during the battle because of that information. But you all still died...." I trailed off, the memory bring tears to my eyes. "But you brought us back. We aren't dead any more. Believe, and it will be," Trista said to me in a gentle tone. I smiled. "I guess you're right. But I still put you all at risk, even if I did end up destroying Ophelia and bringing you all back," I said. "Hey, don't worry about it anymore. We're all alive and well, our enemy is defeated. I say we celebrate!" Lita said, cheering us all up. Throughout our celebration, I still felt deep in my heart responsible. I knew what I had to do.  



	8. Goodbye's Are Forever

**A/N: **Sorry that it is so short, but I really couldn't think of anything for this chapter. It kind of got me bummed out because it's so sad. Well, not tear-jerking, but still, disappointing, I would call it. Anyway, enjoy & R&R! ~m~ The Epic of Starburst- Part Eight- Goodbye's are Forever The next day, I started to plan my "escape". "Io," I asked the kitten who was lounging in the sun on the balcony, "do you miss Syphax?" She jumped down from her perch and walked up to me. "Yes, very much," she replied. "In that case, I want to ask you something," I said, hoping that her answer would be yes, even though I loved her. "Would you mind going back to him? He's not dead, just in another world. Chaos is there too, I'm sure he'd love to meet you. So what do you think?" I asked. Io thought for a moment, then said, "Can you do that? Because I would actually really like to return to Syphax, as soon as possible." I grinned broadly, "Alright, now it is! Tell Syphax thank you and tell them both that I love them." She nodded. I concentrated on the differentent astral planes, pulling from them the one Syphax was in. I started to gently open a hole through to it. A silver circle appeared behind Io, and she jumped through it. "I love you and I'll miss you too!" I shouted after her, as the circle collapsed. I would miss her, but I just couldn't bear life with her at the moment. I put my apartment up for sale and started putting all my belongings into boxes. All of the Syphax's things, I threw out. All the things that reminded me of the scouts and the life I was leaving behind, I threw out. I kept my crown, dress and my transformation pen, but I packed them into a box that I marked "the past", and I taped it shut. I also began looking for a smaller apartment, in a different part of town, and when I found it, I bought it. I moved into my new apartment just four days after Io's departure. Since that last celebration, I hadn't seen the scouts or Darien, and I was thankful for that. I wanted to slip away unnoticed, and soon to be forgotten. The week after I moved into my apartment, I did a couple of things to cover my trail. I changed my last name, though not my first, because I knew that I would never be able to part with it. I cut my hair short, so that it was now chin-length. But I noticed that it grew out fast, and within a month, it was halfway down my back. Once it got there, it slowed down a bit, but continued to grow until it reached it's old length. I finished high school by private lessons, and enrolled in college a year early. I got a part-time job at a law firm as a secretary, making up a resume, and using my powers of persuasion to get the position. I still used my powers, but for normal things, like opening my car when I locked the keys in it, and of course, drying my hair. I hoped for peace, or some degree of it. I hoped that I would never have to fight again. I hoped that I would never witness another death again, especially the deaths of my friends. I hoped that with all the trouble I had gone through, I could disappear successfully, and begin my life again, striving for the ordinary, just barely getting it. I hoped that I could say goodbye and never return again. I began my life and forgot about what I had left behind. I never opened that box at the back of my closet labelled "the past". ~With each beginning, comes an ending, and with each ending, comes a beginning.~ 


	9. Sailor Warriors

**A/N: **Strangely enough, the Epilogue happens to be the best chapter... in my opinion. Since it is the last part of this story, please review! And since I'm so curious, tell me what you liked the most about this story. Example: fav chapters, fav characters, the fact that it is finally over, etc. JUST REVIEW!!! ~M~ The Epic of Starburst- Epilogue- Sailor Warriors I hurried to my car. Damn! I locked the keys in again! I quickly glanced around for onlookers, found none, and put my hand on the car's lock. It popped open and I got in, finding my keys on the seat. If I don't get home fast, I won't have time to finish that essay on the works of those stupid impressionist artists, and my professor will kill me. He told me that this was my last chance, and if I don't hurry, that chance will be ruined! I screeched into my parking spot, and ran into my building, cursing the high heels I had chosen to wear to work. When I got to the lobby, I almost screamed at my horrid luck. The elevator was broken. I live on the 38th floor. Today is definetly not my day, I thought as I opened the door to the stairwell. I was alone, so I quickly summoned my powers to change my 2 and a half inch heels into sneakers, and began the climb. The tall woman dialed fast, and kept her eyes on the silver-haired figure she was following. "Hello?" Amara answered. "It's me. You'll never guess who I just found," Trista said into her phone. 24th floor. Only 14 more flights to go. I wasn't tired yet, thanks to my heredity. But I was mad that I had to climb the stairs, wasting precious time that I didn't have. 25th floor. Maybe if I put on some speed, I can get there faster, I thought, then dismissed the idea. I had used more of my powers today than I had to. I kept climbing. 26th floor.   
"Come on let's go, or we'll never catch up to her!" Michiru said impatiently, as she waited for Amara to re-adjust Hotaru, who was riding on Amara's back because of her limited physical strength. "Don't worry, I can slow her down a little," Trista said, then she sent up a small burst of energy to the 27th floor, and kept climbing the stairs. SNAP! I glanced down. My heel had broken. Didn't I change my heels into sneakers? I thought, confused. I must be out of practice. I took off both shoes and put them into my bag. Then I continued on. 28th floor. "Alright, we're almost there." The four of them kept going, but they were tired and were anxious to get to the 38th floor. 37. 38! Home! Home is where I have shoes that are actually comfortable! I regretted my decision for a moment about living on such a high floor, but only for a second. The view from my balcony was incredible, and if that meant walking up 38 flights of stairs every once in a while, so be it. My mind was busy organizing my schedule to compensate for this climb, trying to find time for me to do my college essay, clean, eat, and sleep. I really, really, didn't want to waste any more time. So you can imagine I was quite angry when I heard a voice behind me say, "Excuse me." I turned around ready to deliver a verbal attack. And my thoughts flew from my mind as I stared at three long forgotten faces, and one that had joined their group. The volume on my anger was turned down when it was overtaken by joy and surprise. There standing behind me was Amara, Michelle, Trista and a girl that must have been Hotaru, whom I knew from the stories that I had heard from the other scouts. "Can we come in?" asked Trista. "Yeah, sure, of course!" I said, stumbling over my words. I was eager to find out what had been going on with them for the past four years. After all, the last I had seen any of the scouts was at Serena and Darien's wedding, but the outer scouts hadn't attended the wedding. Once we were settled in my apartment, I just sat and stared at them. Amara and Michelle must be 23 by now. None of them had changed a bit. "So how did you find me?" I asked. "We have our ways," Trista answered mysteriously. "Do the others know that you're back, or that you found me?" I asked, I didn't want to be found. "No, we kept it secret," Michelle answered. It made sense to me. I had always been closer to the outer scouts, we were a kind of family. We talked for a long time. I learned about Hotaru's time as Mistress 9. They found out vague details of why I had left. I kept some secrets for myself, they were too hard to tell or explain. Truthfully, I was always the kind of person that liked to be alone. But I needed some time to recover. I only went to the wedding, in disguise, and then disappeared again. "So why were you looking for me?" I asked, wanting to know the whole point of this visit. "For many reasons. To talk, to get some answers, to check up on you... to ask you a question," came the ominous answer. My curiousity was peaked. What did they want to ask me? What would I answer? "Shoot," I said, hoping that it was something like, where do you work, or something non-threatening to my hiding. "We want to know if... Do you want to rejoin us? Do you want to become a Sailor Warrior again? We need you help," Hotaru asked bravely. I had no idea what to say. Could I do it? Did I still have the strength, the power? Could I take that risk? How could I refuse? It was after all, my destiny. I knew I couldn't hide from it forever. "Yes, I guess. It is my destiny. I'm not sure if I have the power or the strength." I answered carefully. "Not that again!" Trista laughed, "I thought we got through this! You are the most powerful warrior. You are our strength and power. We need you." I smiled. She was right. We could always count on each other. Once again, I was a Sailor Warrior.  
We go into battle together. We fight together. We live together, we die together. We are the Sailor Warriors. 

**The End.**


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